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10 February 2013

Travel in ... Armenia

Five top tips for travelling in the country where they claim Noah parked his Ark

Getting your five-a-day is surprisingly easy

1. Dress chic in Yerevan All those diaspora
visiting family and bringing their American dollars back to the motherland mean
that Armenia’s capital is cosmopolitan. The scene is very much pavement cafés
during the day and languid drinks in bars or clubbing in the evening. The level
of English in Yerevan is high – expect a warm welcome and impeccable English
from younger residents. Armenia has a continental climate: summer is hot,
winter is freezing and chic is for all seasons.

2. Take a scarf or shawl for all those churches
Claiming to be the first country to adopt Christianity, Armenia has three UNESCO World Heritage churches not to mention countless other monasteries perched in
picturesque settings. The younger women in Yerevan may not always cover their
shoulders, but outside the capital make sure to cover yours and avoid shorts or
short skirts.

3. Be surprised by the food For those expecting
a diet of grilled meat and flat bread, you will be pleasantly surprised at how
easy it is to get your 5-a-day. Home to the apricot and cherry, Armenian cooking can be varied with high quality fruit and veg, nuts and grains. There
are plenty of restaurants serving tourists barbecued meat and unadventurous
salads, but be picky and you will find restaurants with a more appetising array
of choices. Don’t forget the de.li.cious pastries.

4. Get your cash in YerevanOn the whole Armenia feels safe and non-threatening
for female travellers but, apart from the fact there are far fewer ATMs outside
the capital, withdrawing cash in other parts of the country often means visiting
isolated banks with poor lighting.

5. Take your driving licence Armenia is approximately 1.5 times the size of Wales with beautiful verdant gorges to high, mountain plains. The best way to cover this small and naturally diverse country is by car; signs between major towns are generally good and in English and Armenian. But beware the potholes and cars avoiding the potholes - drivers will go to great, swerving lengths to avoid them and just one vertebrae-crunching experience will show you why.

Like Freya Stark, adventuress extraordinaire of the early 20th Century, this blog is for women who travel regularly for work and pleasure to developing countries, unusual destinations or just downright hostile countries. It’s a place to find top travel tips, swap practical advice and share your experience.

I used to work in international development but struggled to find practical, simple advice - what to pack, what to expect - for work trips abroad. Female colleagues said they had the same problem.

You’ll find tips here for travelling in style, safely and confidently. We think Freya would have wished she’d known some of this stuff too...